How to Check the Wi-Fi Driver on a Computer or Laptop: A Complete Guide

Wi-Fi connection problems are one of the most common problems on laptops and PCs with adapters. Intel, Realtek, Broadcom or Qualcomm AtherosIn 80% of cases, the fault lies not with the router, but with the network card driver: it could have crashed after a Windows update, conflicted with your antivirus, or simply become outdated. But how can you tell if the problem is with the driver, not with the network settings or a hardware failure?

In this article you will find 5 Working Methods to Check Your Wi-Fi Driver — from basic diagnostics via Device Manager to analyzing Windows logs and testing in Safe Mode. We'll cover how to find the current driver version, where to download official files for your adapter model, and what to do if there's no internet connection at all. Finally, we'll cover answers to frequently asked questions, including problems with Wi-Fi 6 And Wi-Fi 6E.

1. Check the Wi-Fi driver via Device Manager

The quickest way to diagnose a problem is to check the adapter's status in Device Manager. If there's a yellow exclamation point next to the device's name, the driver is either corrupted or missing. Here's how:

1. Click Win + X and select "Device Manager"**.
2. Expand the section Network Adapters**.
3. Find the device with the names Wireless, Wi-Fi, 802.11 or chip model (for example, Intel AX200, Realtek RTL8821CE).

If the adapter displays without errors, but Wi-Fi is not working, check its status:

• 🔍 Double click by adapter → tab "General"**The Device Status field should read The device is working properly..
• 📋 Go to the tab "Driver"** — it is indicated here release date And versionIf the driver is older than 2022, it should be updated.
• 🔄 Click Rollback**, if the problem appeared after the last update.

⚠️ Attention: In some laptops Lenovo And HP The Wi-Fi adapter may be hidden under the name WLAN or Network Controller (if the driver is not installed).

2. How to find out the model of your Wi-Fi adapter and download the driver from the official website

If Device Manager shows an unknown device (eg. Network controller (with an exclamation mark), you first need to determine the exact chip model. This can be done even without the internet:

Method 1: Via hardware identifiers (VENDOR and DEVICE ID)

1. In the Device Manager, right-click on the unknown device → "Properties" → tab "Intelligence".
2. From the drop-down menu, select "Equipment ID"**.
3. Copy the first line (example: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2723).

The first 4 digits after VEN_ - This manufacturer identifier (Vendor ID), next 4 after DEV_ — device model (Device ID). Using this information, you can find the driver on websites like PCI Database or directly from the manufacturer.

Method 2: Via the command line

Open Command line as administrator and enter:

wmic nic get name, manufacturer, description

In the results, find the line with Wireless — this is your adapter. For more detailed information, please use:

wmic nic where "NetEnabled='true'" get name, manufacturer, MACAddress, Speed

Once you know the adapter model, download the driver:

• 🌐 For Intel: downloadcenter.intel.com (search by model, for example AX210 or 7265).
• 🌐 For Realtek: realtek.com (chapter Wireless LAN ICs).
• 🌐 For Broadcom And Qualcomm: Drivers are often distributed through laptop manufacturers (Dell, Asus etc.).

3. Check the driver via System Information (msinfo32)

Utility msinfo32 Allows you to obtain detailed driver information, including file paths and versions. This is useful if the adapter is detected but is unstable (for example, the connection keeps dropping).

1. Click Win + R, enter msinfo32 and press Enter.
2. Go to the section “Components → Network → Adapter”**.
3. Find your Wi-Fi adapter and check the fields:
   • 📁 Driver Info File** (For example, netwtw11.inf For Intel).
   • 📅 Driver Date**.
   • 🔢 Driver Version**.

If the Status field says Disabled or No connection, the problem may be in the power settings. Check:

1. Open Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
2. Find the section Wireless Network Adapter Settings and install Maximum Performance.

4. Diagnostics via Windows Logs (Event Viewer)

If your Wi-Fi connects but keeps dropping or is slow, you can find the cause in your system logs. For example, an error Event ID 5005 from WLAN-AutoConfig indicates a problem with authentication, and Event ID 1030 — to a driver conflict.

How to check:

1. Click Win + X → Event Viewer**.
2. Go to “Windows Logs → System”**.
3. In the right panel, click "Current Log Filter"** and enter:
   • 🔍 Keywords: WLAN, Wi-Fi, netwtw (For Intel) or rtl88 (For Realtek).
   • 📅 Period: last 24 hours.

⚠️ Attention: If there are a lot of errors in the logs 6003, this may indicate hardware failure adapter (overheating or chip damage). In this case, the driver won't help—the module will need to be replaced.

5. Testing in safe mode and clean boot

If Wi-Fi is unstable but there are no errors in Device Manager, the problem may be a conflict with other software (antivirus, VPN, network management software). To check this, start Windows in Safe Mode with Networking:

1. Click Win + R, enter msconfig → tab "Loading"**.
2. Check the box Safe Mode and select "Net".
3. Restart your PC.

If Wi-Fi is stable in Safe Mode, third-party software is to blame. To find the culprit:

• 🛡️ Temporarily disable antivirus (For example, Kaspersky or Avast often block network connections).
• 🔌 Turn it off VPN clients (NordVPN, OpenVPN).
• 📡 Check your network management software (Killer Networking, ASUS Wi-Fi Master).

Disable all startup programs (Task Manager)

Run msconfig and disable all non-system services.

Restart your PC and check your Wi-Fi

Enable services one by one to find the conflicting one-->

If the problem persists even in safe mode, there are two reasons:

1. The driver is damaged - reinstall it manually (see section 2).
2. Adapter is faulty — check it on another PC or contact the service center.

6. Checking driver compatibility with your Windows version

Newer versions of Windows (especially Windows 11) may not support older drivers. For example, adapters Broadcom 43xx Often require manual driver installation even on supported systems. Here's how to check compatibility:

1. Open "Properties" adapter in the "Device Manager" → tab "Driver".
2. Look at the field Digital Signatures**If it says there Not signed or Windows cannot verify the publisher., the driver may be incompatible.
3. Click Update Driver → "Browse my computer for driver software" → "Select a driver from the list"**If there are no compatible versions in the list, download the driver from the manufacturer's website.

For Windows 11 There are some nuances:

• 🪟 Drivers for Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz) require mandatory support for WDDM 3.0Old adapters will not work.
• 🔄 Some drivers Realtek For Windows 10 incompatible with Windows 11 — versions with the mark are needed Win11.
• 🛡️ In Windows 11 22H2 and newer versions block unsigned drivers. To install them, you'll have to disable Secure Boot in BIOS.

How to disable Secure Boot to install an unsigned driver

1. Restart your PC and enter BIOS (usually F2, Del or Esc).

2. Find the section Secure Boot (maybe in Boot or Security).

3. Set the value Disabled.

4. Save the settings and reboot.

⚠️ After installing the driver, return Secure Boot to its original state!

⚠️ Attention: BIOS interfaces and menu item names may vary depending on the motherboard or laptop model. On some devices (Lenovo Legion, ASUS ROG) Secure Boot is hidden behind additional settings.

7. What to do if the driver is installed, but Wi-Fi doesn't work

Situation: The driver is updated, there are no errors in Device Manager, but Wi-Fi still won't connect. Possible causes and solutions:

If nothing helps, try reset Windows network settings:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

After executing these commands reboot your PC.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about checking Wi-Fi drivers

❓ How do I check my Wi-Fi driver if I don't have internet access?

Download the driver on another device and transfer it to a flash drive. To determine the adapter model, use Equipment ID (see section 2) or utility HWiNFO (works without internet).

❓ Why did Wi-Fi stop working after updating the driver?

The new driver version is likely incompatible with your system. Roll back the driver using Device Manager (Driver tab → Roll Back Driver) or install an older version from the manufacturer's website.

❓ Can I use the driver from the laptop manufacturer's website instead of the official chip website?

Yes, but keep in mind that laptop manufacturers (HP, Dell, Lenovo) often modify drivers for their hardware. If such a driver works reliably, it's better to use it. If not, download it from the website. Intel/Realtek.

❓ How do I check if my adapter supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)?

Open Device Manager, find your adapter, and check its name. Models with Wi-Fi 6 support include:

• 🔹 AX in the title (for example, Intel AX200, Realtek RTL8852AE).
• 🔹 Mention 802.11ax in the device properties (Advanced tab).

If the adapter supports Wi-Fi 6, but the speed is low, update the driver and check the router settings (the mode must be enabled 802.11ax).

❓ What should I do if Windows doesn't detect the Wi-Fi adapter at all?

Possible reasons:

1. Adapter disabled in BIOS - check the settings Wireless LAN or WLAN.
2. Adapter physically damaged — try connecting an external USB Wi-Fi.
3. No driver - install it manually (see section 2).

On laptops, also check to see if the Wi-Fi switch is broken (sometimes it's built into the keyboard).